Happy Birthday, Milton Friedman

Jim is the the director of communications at The Heartland Institute. Prior to joining Heartland, he was an ink-stained newspaperman for 16 years with many stops in "old media."

Jim covered Congress and The White House during the George W. Bush administration for The Washington Times, and worked as a reporter, editorial writer and columnist for newspapers in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California. He has appeared on the Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span, and many local and national talk radio shows to talk politics and policy.

Milton Friedman’s birthday isn’t until July 31. But like many organizations across the country, The Heartland Institute celebrated early today with a legacy luncheon in honor of what would have been his 99th birthday. Heartland, a free-market think tank founded in 1984, is based in Chicago.

We are humbled by the fact that in his life and long career at the University of Chicago, Friedman declared himself a friend and fan of our organization, calling us “a highly effective libertarian institute.” Today’s luncheon address was delivered by University of Chicago economics professor Allen Sanderson, who was a colleague of one of the brightest minds of the 20th century. We’ll have video of Sanderson’s entertaining and enlightening presentation up on our website next week.

Meanwhile, to whet your appetite — and aid in your own celebrations and remembrances of one of history’s greatest advocates for free markets — watch the video below of Friedman explaining how there is no such thing as a free lunch. What he says applies to the mindless economics being peddled in Washington today.

Happy Birthday, Milton Friedman was last modified: July 29th, 2011 by Jim Lakely